Electric cable clamp



Oct. 30, 1934. H. J. MUEHLEMAN 1,979,117

ELECTRIC CABLE CLAMP Filed June 20, 1930 2 SheetsSheet l HHHL w w vgrvue-nfo'c 17 y 4 Henry, J J zzahlemam Oct. 30, 1934. J MUEHLEMAN1,979,117

ELECTRIC CABLE CLAMP Filed June 20, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Zlwuemtov dmwPatented Oct. 130, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC ELECTRIC CABLE CLAMPApplication June 20, 1930, Serial No. 462,594

12 Claims.

' mm connections so as to provide an electrical clamp with an efliciencywhich avoids heating by reason of the constant pressure on the parts incontact.

A feature of this electrical clamp resides in a structure adapted toovercome bending or fatigue of parallel groove clamps which may causeheating and eventual failure. The clamping bolts are located so thatthey exert pressure directly on to the conductor (not between) as is thecase in ordinary clamp design, thereby insuring constant mechanicalpressure and providing an electrical clamp wherein the clamp remainscooler than the conductor at all times. This clamp permits the making ofan electrical connection quickly on a power line or at the station andthe unitary structure holds the members together in a desirable manner.

A further feature of my electrical clamp resides in a particular designhaving means for receiving the clamping bolts which may be of a straightformation having a head portion engaged by means adapted to hold thebolt collectively with one of the clamping plates. This structureprevents the bolts from becoming disengaged and provides a unitarystructure desirable to the linemen in the use of the clamp.

A further feature of my electrical clamp resides in diagonally disposedclamping bolt means which provide a. narrow formation to the clamp andwhich provides a structure adapted to permit the clamping bolts to bespaced on opposite sides disposed between each other between the ends ofthe clamp and with an angularly disposed bolt clamping means in acriss-cross formation of the longitudinal center line of the electricalcable being clamped, togetherwith reinforcing ribs ex. tending throughthe clamping plates in a crisscross manner, thereby providing a verysturdy clamp adapted to firmly connect electrical cables together withconsiderable tension and thus providing the efficiency for a clamp ofthis nature.

The particular objects and details will be more fully and clearly setforth in the specification and claims. a

5o In the drawings forming part of the specification:

Figure 1 is a side view of the electrical clamp. Figure 2 is an end viewof the same, showing the cable in section. 55 Figure 3 is a plan view ofFigure 1.

filler to space the ends of connecting portions of Figure 4 illustratesa plan view of the electrical clamp with a multiplicity of clampingbolts criss-crossly disposed of the longitudinal center line of thecable.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the electrical 0 clamp where amultiplicity of clamping bolts are used and the clamp is inverted.

Figure 6 is a bottom view of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a detail of a portion of the clamp.

Figure 8 is a side view of an alternative form.86

Figure 9 is an end view of the form illustrated in Figure 8.

' This electrical clamp A is designed to connect electrical cables 10 ina manner so as to firmly secure the same together to make an electricalconnection in straight parallel lines and to provide an efllcientelectrical connector.

The clamp A is formed with the main clamping plates 11 and 12. Theseplates are formed with a longitudinally extending angular cable engagingchannel 13 which adjustably connects over the electrical cables 10 tosecure the same together. Interposed between the cables 10 I provide aspacer 14 which may be made up of two portions rigidly connectedtogether at 15 and which is formed with longitudinal angular cableengaging channels 16 on the oppositely disposed, faces. This spacer 14is positioned between the clamping bolts 17 and is adapted to form thethe cables apart in the clamp A.

The clamping plates 11 and 12 have an angular formation to form thechannel clamping platelike portion 18, the outer shape of which mayfollow the inner cable engaging channel grooves 13. This provides theportions 18 which fit closely to the cables 10. Integrally formed withthe portions 18 I provide the bolt receiving bosses 20 which projectfrom the channel portions 18 and which are formed with flat surfaces 21against which the heads 22 and the nuts 23 of the bolts 17 engage so asto form a. fiat bearing surface to permit the bolts 17 to be securelyattached with considerable force to draw the portions 18 against thecables 10. The boss portions 20 of the clamp A blend into the body ofthe portions '18 and are formed with tapered off faces 24 which taperfrom the side edges of the portions 18 to the outer edge of the bosses20.

The bolts 17 pass through the boss portions 20 of the plate 12 and inthe formation of these plates 12 lugs 25 are formed projecting upwardfrom the surface 21 of the plate as illustrated in Figure 7, which areadapted to be bent down overthe head 22 of the bolts, to hold the boltsas a unit with the plate 12 and prevent the bolts from becomingdisengaged therefrom while the clamp A is in use or being attached to acable. This bolt holding means'is important because it provides a simplestructure for holding the bolts 17 to the plate 12 and the linemen mayreadily connect the cable clamp A to the cables 10 using the plate 12 asthe bottom plate of the clamp, While the plate 11 may be the top plate,and this permits the nuts 23 to be readily attached to the bolts 17.When the clamp A is used in this manner the bolts 17 will not drop outand the nuts may easily be connected to the same so that the linemen maymake an electrical connection by the connector A quickly andefficiently.

The plate 11 is formed with a diagonally disposed reinforcing rib 26which extends across the surface 21 on the plate 11 between the bolts17. The formation of the lugs 25 also provides a rib-like reinforcingportion 27 which is diagonally disposed-across the surface 21 of theplate 12. These reinforcing ribs strengthen the'portions 18 between thebolts and provide a structure for the clamp A which more evenlydistributes the force of the'clamping bolts 17 in holding the cables 10clamped between the same. To avoid heating in the connection ofelectrical cables such as 10, it is necessary to keeep constant pressureon the partsin contact. My clamp accomplishes this result by providingclamping plates, such as 11 and 12, which may be drawn together by thebolts 17 with a powerful force and the give in the cables will providethe necessary spring tension between the parts so that a constant pressure is maintained on the contacting parts of the clamp and cables andthus an efficient low-loss electrical connection is'made without thenecessity of soldering or integrally connecting the electrical cablessuch as 10. This is important as it permits the clamp to be used ontheline to quickly connect electrical cables. The plates 11 and 12 may bemade of copper or other suitable material which provides the mostefficient clamping means in making of electrical connections of thisnature. P

The clamp A may be made with a multiplicity of clamping bolts 17, suchas illustrated in Figures 4, 5, and 6, where the bolts are criss-crosslydisposed in relation to the longitudinal center line of the connectingcables in the clamp A. By placing the bolts in this diagonal relation toeach other the clamping force of the bolts can be more "evenlydistributed in relation to the sides of the clamp and where amultiplicity of bolts are used in a large cable clamp, such asillustrated in Figure 4 and Figure 5, the clamping force of a bolt onone side of the clamp is interposed between two clamping bolts on theother side of the clamp between the ends of the same. A powerfulclamping grip can be obtained by this formation and the bolts 17 can beplaced closely to the sides of the cables being clamped as well as theclamping plates 18 and the channel filler 14. The diagonal reinforcingribs 26 carry the strain from one bolt to the other, to opposite sidesof the clamping plate 11 over the flat surface 21 and similar angu--larly disposed ribs 28 extend over the surface of the plate 11 from oneside to the other between the portions which form the flat surfaces 21.This provides an angular reinforcing means extending back and forthacross the plate 11 which distributes the force of the clamping bolts 17evenly from one side to the other of the clamp A. The plate 12v has thesame diagonally disposed reinforcing means as the ribs 26 and 28 in therib-like portions 27 between the lugs 25 and the diagonally disposedribs 29 which extend between the fiat surfaces 21. Thus diagonalreinforcing ribs extend across from bolt to bolt in either of the plates11 and 12 and thereby form a criss-cross distribution of the clampingstrain of one bolt to the other in relation to the diagonal center lineof the cables held in the clamp A. The clamps A are designed to providea powerful clamping means for connecting electrical cables together andthey are equally adapted to either small or large cables so as to permitthe linemen to make an electrical connection between electrical cablesat any time veryquick-ly. The neat compact formation of the clamptogether with its advantage of making such a close connection betweenthe cables as to remain cool at all times during its operation,accomplishes very desirable results.

The clamp A may be made in the form illuso5 trated by the clamps B wherethe clamping bolts 17 are directly oppositely disposed across inrelation to each other rather than diagonally disposed. This clamp 13 isprovided with a filler 32 positioned between the bolts 17. The filler 32is 100 formed with rib portions 33 which extend on either side of theshank of the bolts 17 to hold the filler portion 32 against sliding inthe clamp B. In this form of the clamp the headsp22 of the bolts 17 areheld by the lugs 25 which are bent down over the heads after the bolts17 are positioned in the lower plate 34. The plate 34 performs the samefunction as the plate 12 in the clamp A.

The clamp B will also clamp the cables tightly 110 together but does notprovide the efllciency of distribution of the clamping forces of thebolts 17 as evenly as in the clamp formation A. However, this clamp hasthe same structure in the holding of the bolts as a unit with the plate'34 and 5 permits the operator to connect the clamp easily over theelectrical cables 10 in a manner to engage the same with considerableforce.

The formation of my clamp A with the parts closely associated togetherprovides an electrical clamp wherein straight clamping bolts such as 17may be used and wherein the clamping plates are formed with boss and ribportions which distribute the force of the clamping bolts evenly fromside to side and which interpose the forces of the 25 clamping bolts onone side with a pair of the clamping bolts on the other side,particularly in the large type of clamps where themultiplicity ofclamping bolts are employed so that a very eflicient and desirableelectrical clamp is provided. 136

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described theprinciplesand features of my electrical clamp and I have endeavored to representthe best embodiment thereof, nevertheless, obvious variations andadaptations of my clamp may 13 5 be made within the scope of thefollowing claims maintaining the principles and purposes and intent ofthe invention.

I claim: 1. An electrical cable clamp including main 140 clampingplates, one of said plates having bosses for receiving straight clampingbolts said plate including means for holding the heads thereof as a unitwith said plate and the other of said plates having bosses for receivingthe threaded and nut end of the clamping bolts, and interconnecteddiagonally disposed parallel force distributing ribs in each of saidplates distributing the strain alternately from one side to the other.

2. In combination, a pair of clamping plates each having a channel-likeformation adapted to receive electrical cables, a channel-like filleradapted to be interposed between the connecting cables held by saidplates, bolt receiving bosses extending from said plates'diagonallydisposed on either side of said plates, and reinforcing'diagonallydisposed ribs adapted to distribute the strain of the bolts extendingthrough said bosses alternately from one side to the other to provide astrong clamp for electrical cables,

4. An electrical cable clamp including a pair of clamping plates eachhavinga channel-like formation, bolt receiving bosses with boltholes'extending therethrough diagonally disposed on ,opposite sides ofsaid plates, flat working surfaces on said bosses for the engagementwith the head and nut respectively of, the clamping bolts, anddiagonally disposed strain distributing ribs extending from one boss'tothe other in said flat surfaces, some of said diagonally disposed ribson one clamping plate forming means for holding the bolts as a unit withsaid plate.

5. An electrical cable clamp including, a pair of channel clampingplates, bolt receiving bosses having bolt holes extending therethroughformed on opposite sides of said plates and diagonally disposed one tothe other to provide an electrical clamp and a series of parallelcriss-cross reinforcing ribs diagonal in relation to the center of theelectrical cables held by said clamp.

6. In combination, a pair of highly electrically conductive clampingplates having grooves for receiving electrical cables, a highlyconductive electric spacer adapted to be positioned in said clamp bycables clamped therein, oppositely disposed V-grooves in said spacer,straight clamping bolts in staggered relationship on opposite sides ofthe cable extending through said plates, rib means having free ends forholding said bolts against disengagement from one of said plates, andreinforcing means for distributing the strain from one bolt to the otherand from side to side of said plates.

'7. An electrical cable clamp formed of a material having a highelectrical conductivity, clamping plates each having a channel-likeformation, integrally formed bolt receiving bosses having bolt holestherethrough projecting from the outer surfaces of said plates, saidbosses being diagonally disposed in relation to the sides of saidplates, diagonally disposed reinforcing rib portions extendingcriss-cross in relation to the diagonal channel center line of saidplates to distribute the clamping strain of bolts extending through saidbosses from side to side of said plates and to interpose the strain ofone bolt on one side of said clamp centrally between two bolts disposedon the opposite side of said clamp.

8. An electrical clamp comprising clamping plates having cable receivingchannels, a cable spacer having cable receiving channels adapted tospace the cables in said clamp, straight bolts positioned inlongitudinal staggered relationship on either side of said clamp andextending through said clamping plates, a diagonal rib extending betweeneach pair of said bolts, free ends on said rib on one of said platesadapted to be bent over the heads of said bolts after said bolts arepositioned in said plate.

9. An electrical clamp including, a pair of clamping plates, boltreceiving openings formed in said plates in staggered relationship,andzigzag'strain distributing ribs formed in said plates extending fromone bolt hole to the other to distribute the strain from bolt to boltand side to side of said clamping plates.

10. An electrical cable clamp including, a pair of clamping plates, boltreceiving openings formed in the opposite sides of said platesdiagonally one to the other, straight clamping bolts, means for holdingsaid bolts as a-unit with one of said plates, and zigzag criss-crossstrain distributing reinforcing means formed in each of said platesextending from one bolt on one side of the plates to the next adjacentbolt on the opposite side of 'ends of said ribs, and connecting ribsconnecting one end of one rib on one side of said plates to the otherend of the next adjacent rib on the other side of the plate.

HENRY J. MUEHLEMAN.

